Warts are viral skin infections which are generally harmless and do not need treatment as they usually disappear on their own. However, the virus may linger in your system up to two years and may stay longer depending on the strength of your immune system. If your wart  is sitting on the area of your skin which is highly exposed such as the face and neck then it is not a good idea to simply wait for the wart to clear up on its own. If you are suffering from this condition then it’s time to consider the following treatments for getting rid of warts.  

Surgery

If topical or home treatment is unsuccessful, surgery is an option for removing warts. It is usually quick and effective. Scarring depends on the severity of your warts and the skill of the surgeon. Generally though, doctors will opt for a method that will least likely cause scarring.

Surgical treatment can be done by burning the wart using an electrical current which is referred to as electrosurgery. Another surgical method is by cutting the wart off with a sharp knife which is called curettage. Laser surgery, on the other hand, burns off the wart using intense beam of light. For surgical treatments, a local anesthetic is required to numb the skin prior to the procedure.

The surgery itself is not painful though. Whereas duration of the treatment is quicker compared to nonsurgical procedures, some treatments like laser surgery may require several or repeat visits to the doctor making it more expensive.

Cryotherapy

This option is also usually applied if topical treatments have been unsuccessful. It removes the wart by freezing it with an extremely cold substance – typically liquid nitrogen. Your doctor will apply the liquid nitrogen either with a probe or a cotton swab. Spraying the substance onto the affected skin can also be done.

This procedure is painful so it requires local anesthetic. Afterward, a blister may form and the pain may linger for up to 3 days. Multiple visits to the doctor may be required depending on the size of your wart. Healing usually takes about 7 to 14 days. This method is expensive but it causes little to no scarring.

Tape occlusion

While there is no scientific evidence in favor of this treatment, tape occlusion also referred to as the duct tape method is a very common method used for removing warts for so many years now.

The procedure is done by covering your wart with a duct tape for about six days. You then remove the tape after six days and soak the affected skin in water. Subsequently, gently rub the wart surface using a pumice stone or emery board then leave the wart uncovered overnight. The following morning you cover it again with a new duct tape. You may repeat the process until the wart is gone but no more than two months.

This method is not only inexpensive but it also works even minus sufficient scientific evidence. It would not be considered one of the treatments for warts all these years if it did not prove to be successful. However, the efficiency may depend on the severity of the wart and may take longer than other methods.

Topical treatments

This is usually the first and most favored option because it has been proven effective, painless, and less expensive. Topical treatments can either be prescribed or over-the-counter. Examples of prescription medication for warts are retinoid cream, cantharidin, and Bichloracetic acid (BCA). Retinoid disrupts the wart’s skin cell growth, cantharidin forms a blister and lifts the wart off the skin, and BCA destroys the proteins in the cells. BCA can be harmful to the skin surrounding the wart though as it also destroys the good or normal cells.

A very common topical and non prescription treatment is salicylic acid which softens the wart so it gets easy to rub it off. It is found to be effective but may take several weeks or months to remove the wart. Most of today’s topical creams for warts contain salicylic acid.

Homeopathic or all-natural remedies, on the other hand, have also become popular especially since they are milder and have also been proven to work. An example of an all-natural formula for wart is Dermatend which is known to treat not only warts but also moles and skin tags.

Dermatend’s key ingredient is Sanguinaria Canadensis or bloodroot which is known to treat more than a few illnesses and skin conditions like warts. Compared to other treatments, Dermatend is a less expensive solution which provides results in as little as 10 days. Read our detailed review on Dermatend to learn more about this product’s efficiency and ability to treat warts and other skin conditions.

Final Verdict

Surgery may be the quickest solution for warts but it is the most expensive and usually leaves scars. Topical treatments, however, may take time to work but are generally the least expensive. Wart removal creams containing salicylic acid are proven effective but are harsher to the skin compared to all-natural solutions. Dermatend’s formula then is worth considering if you want to ultimately get rid of warts.